Many forms of handheld devices having an integrated optical data reader are presently available. These forms include a wand form, a gun form, a card form, and a handheld computer form.
Wand-shaped devices are typically sized and shaped like a cigar. An optical data reader such as a bar code reader is accessible at an end of the device. The wand-shaped device is held like a pencil for swiping the optical data reader across a printed code such as a bar code. Data read by the optical data reader are communicated from the wand-shaped device to a computer via either a wireline connection or a radio frequency interface.
Gun-type devices have a handle for holding like a gun. The device includes an optical data reader such as a scanning bar code reader. An end user aims the optical data reader toward a printed code. The optical data reader is activated and deactivated by a trigger promimate to the handle. Data read by a gun-type device are typically communicated to a computer via a wireline connection.
Examples of a card-shaped optical code readers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,849 to Davis et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,789 to Davis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,849 discloses a card-shaped reader having an input/output connector for interfacing with a host computer.
The handheld computer form has a bar code reader accessible at an end of a single housing. The single housing supports a keypad and a display in a manner similar to a handheld calculator.